


Tachibana Inn [--Paused--]

by dayoldcupcake



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Family Issues, Fluff, Happy Ending, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Internalized Homophobia, Japanese Culture, M/M, Outdoor Sex, Referenced Alcoholism, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:13:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24721372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dayoldcupcake/pseuds/dayoldcupcake
Summary: "You know, I downloaded Grindr once, out of desperation," Shoyo says, cheeks turning pink, whether from embarrassment or alcohol, Kageyama isn't sure. "It only had two guys anywhere near me, and they were both in their sixties! And they both messaged me asking to hook up!"The reaction is immediate, all three recoiling in disgust. Shoyo laughs, dropping forward with a thunk."One of them lives right down the street from me," he mutters into the table, voice muffled. "I see him all the time. Oh god, it's horrifying."(Following a betrayal, Kageyama flees to the countryside.  There, he meets a pair of charming siblings that help him heal and work up the courage to return to Tokyo.)( ★ art included! ★ )
Relationships: Hinata Natsu & Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 48
Kudos: 101





	1. Running

**Author's Note:**

> ## ON HIATUS
> 
> I've learned my lesson. I can write long stories at once and they turn out better when I do.
> 
> Also, 2020 has come for me yet again, causing delays. I don't want to rush this story so I'll resume it once the _entire thing_ is written and I am fully happy with it, hopefully by early 2021.
> 
> Sorry that I am the worst. ;o;. Thanks for your patience and understanding. ♥

  
( art commission by [@myrseyy](https://twitter.com/myrseyy) )

# Chapter 1

Kageyama takes one final look around his apartment before slamming off the lights. He wouldn't be sorry if he never saw this place again. Hoisting his bag over his shoulder, he locks the door and hurries down the narrow stairs of his building.

His first stop is to Lawson, just around the corner, to withdraw cash and print Google Maps directions. Standing in the back of the tiny convenience store, more than a dozen people pass by in just a few minutes. He watches them warily, newly grateful for his surgical mask and pulled-up hoodie. The whispers are constant. He thinks he hears his name twice but isn't recognized and he slips away easily.

He moves from one crowded sidewalk to another, then into a packed subway, finally arriving at Tokyo Station. It's mobbed as always, making it harder to tell if he's just being paranoid or if everyone really is talking about him. Kageyama buys his ticket at the kiosk to avoid having to interact with anyone, but then upon checking his Maps printout, realizes he's got eight more hours of travel ahead and no food. Picturing a transaction with the snack lady, trying to order food in a cramped, silent bullet train, with people potentially recognizing his voice, sends ice through his veins.

Glancing around, he spots a Family Mart. It's little more than two cramped aisles packed with people, but he steels himself and heads over. The space is too small to allow browsing, so he stands in line and waits to pass by the small refrigerated shelf. He snatches two boxed lunches, six rice balls, and several drinks without checking any of their flavors. As he waits to reach the cashier, he hears his name again. This time it's unmistakable, coming from the women standing directly ahead of him.

"I still don't believe it," the one closer to him is whispering. "Not Kageyama Tobio. It must be a prank!"

Kageyama bows his head lower, feeling his anger rising. How incompetent are these cashiers, exactly? It shouldn't take this long just to check out a few fucking people with candy bars.

"I don't care if it's a prank," the other woman replies in a quiet voice, clearly struggling to contain her excitement. "I'm thrilled. Does that make me a horrible person?"

 _Yes,_ Kageyama wants to shout back at her. He grinds his teeth and longs for his earbuds, wishing he hadn't packed them away like an idiot. They're just in his bag, but there isn't enough space here to dig for them; there's barely enough space to turn around.

He escapes Family Mart just as a large train from Osaka arrives, dumping hundreds more people into the station. Kageyama hears the stampede of feet and suitcase wheels before he spots them and successfully escapes to the train platform in time. Here, there is finally some open space, if only because of the empty tracks and thick yellow lines warning: danger, do not cross.

At long last, Kageyama finds a small amount of peace aboard the bullet train. It's a smooth and tranquil three hours. He doesn't budge from his seat once, just keeps his head turned toward the window. He listens to classical music, tuning out the rest of the passengers as a constant blur of rice fields, mountains, and tunnels fly by.

The four hours of non-express train rides that follow, however, become increasingly rickety, lagging with each kilometer traveled. The view from the windows is beautiful, something straight from a Miyazaki movie, but also terrifying. It's as if the train is flying, nothing but a steep, thousand-meter drop-off into the trees below.

By the time Kageyama arrives at his destination, he's the lone passenger on the train. Those online reviewers were right to warn him to print directions; the station is equally deserted, no people or tourism signs to guide him in the right direction. All around him, it's just looming mountains, chirping birds, and dense forests. There are a few homes, but they're sparse, run-down looking, and the only two people he sees are both elderly.

He grins, feeling victorious. He heard stories of the countryside, of course, and those very stories led him here, but seeing it in person is something else. Further into his wandering, Kageyama is stopped by a pair of resting serow. They're weird creatures, about the size of deer but looking more like fluffy brown gazelles with giant poofy beards. Wildlife of any kind in Tokyo is a rarity, even squirrels, and these fuzzy goats don't seem remotely bothered by him. Kageyama reaches for his phone to snap a photo but pauses with his fingers barely grazing the sleek glass of the screen. He doesn't take the picture.

It's the middle of the afternoon and he walks for nearly an hour and never passes a single person under the age of fifty. He only spots one convenience store.

Finally, after nearly two hours of searching, he finds it: a small, ancient-looking wooden house. It's worn but clearly maintained with a lot of care; a small traditional-style garden peeks through the fence and several bonzai decorate the front stoop. A wooden plaque hangs above the entryway reading, in golden kanji: Tachibana Inn.

Kageyama stands there, suddenly anxious, wondering for the first time if perhaps he didn't travel far enough. But he's tired and hungry, his convenience store food long devoured.

"Pardon the intrusion," he calls.

Something bangs forward. He can hear heavy footsteps on the old wooden floors, then hands struggling with the clasp on the door. A young girl peers out, and Kageyama can't help but blink a few times to clear his vision. He sees a lot of weird hair colors in Tokyo—Harajuku fashion is all the rage—but he can't recall ever seeing someone with such bright orange hair or eyes. He suddenly understands the inn's citrus namesake.

"Sawamura-sama!" The young girl shouts, stepping forward and attempting to take Kageyama's bag, but he darts it away from her. It's larger than she is. "Welcome to our minshuku! We've been expecting you! I'm Hinata Natsu! I'm here to take your bag to your room!"

"That's okay," he mutters, holding the bag out of reach as she jumps for it. "Just show me."

"Okay," she sighs, with a huge air of exasperation, giving up. "If you insist! Follow me!"

Natsu leads him down a short hallway to the furthest room. The old wooden floors creek with each step. Nearly every window and door is open wide, allowing the mountain air to circulate, giving Kageyama the feeling he isn't truly indoors despite the dim lightning. Once they arrive, Natsu has to use her entire body to move the paper door across its old wooden slide and it takes two tries, but once she has it open, she scrambles back in front of Kageyama and bows.

"This is your room," she announces, still deep in the bow. "It's the nicest one! So, we hope you'll be comfortable. Please find me if you need anything!"

Kageyama nods and steps around her into the room. It's spacious for an inn of this type, at least six mats large, with two huge windows overlooking the mountains. He kneels down at the low, heated table and begins admiring the small details left out for him: the packets of matcha, the delicate sweet, and the tea cups which appear to be locally made.

The smell of pine was strong even standing outside, but in this room it seems to seep out from every floorboard and wooden beam. There's a thick purple quilt draped around the table and Kageyama tucks it over his lap and around his legs. It's late afternoon in the middle of a muggy Japanese summer, but at this high altitude, the air is almost chilly, crisp. The trapped warmth from beneath the table radiates up, though, so Kageyama never feels cold. Instead, his eyelids start to droop. He clicks on the electric kettle and lets out a deep breath, giving in to the feeling.

He almost falls asleep just like that when the kettle gives a loud click indicating the water has finished boiling. Drowsy, Kageyama pours himself a cup of matcha and alternates sips of the bitter liquid with small bites of the soft bean sweet left for him by his gracious hosts. He means to savor the treat more, to leave some for after dinner, but it's quite good, better than some of the most expensive shops in Tokyo, and he's almost finished it when he hears Natsu nervously trying to get his attention just outside the door.

"Sawamura-sama?" she calls.

"What?" he asks, trying not to sound annoyed. He's not. He's relaxing.

"Dinner will be ready at seven in the dining room," Natsu announces. "Um, also, as you're our only guest right now, the men's bath is available for your private use. Please feel free to use it anytime between five and eleven."

"Fine," Kageyama calls back.

The bath is nicer than he expects, but he's not too surprised, as Oita prefecture is one of Japan's many hot spring zones. There's an indoor and outdoor section, and Kageyama makes use of the outdoor one first. It's small, just large enough for perhaps two adults, rimmed with smooth stones of varying shades of black and gray. As afternoon fades into evening, the air finally turns frigid, but it's a relief. The chill keeps his head clear while the scalding water soothes his muscles. Kageyama is used to constant soreness; now, for once, he feels only a pleasant tingle.

The longer he soaks, though, the more difficult he finds it to just unwind and enjoy the sensations. His anxieties grow. It would only take one person recognizing him to destroy this entire fragile sanctuary. He still needs to answer his manager and reply to the countless worried texts from his mother.

Returning to his room, pink-skinned and refreshed, wrapped in the dark blue cotton robe he'd found lovingly folded on his towel, his respite ends. He's proud of himself, really, that he resisted this long, that he managed to relax for even a few hours.

But then he spies his phone on the table. He can't resist it anymore. He powers it on, nervously anticipating a myriad of text messages, emails, voice mails, and news stories. He resisted checking it since the bullet train ride. His stomach twists with sick dread.

_No new messages._

That can't be right. He checks LINE, his e-mail, but then—oh yes, the countryside. There's no reception. Flooded with relief, he drops his phone back onto his bag. Once again, it seems like he made the right choice coming here.

***

At exactly seven o'clock, Kageyama steps into the dining room. He's hungry, and so far everything about this place has exceeded his expectations. If the pattern holds, dinner is going to be extraordinary, and it is. As soon as he sits down, an elderly woman lays before him a tray of tempura, miso soup, sesame-spinach, fresh plums, steaming rice, and sashimi—oh, the sashimi. There are all the popular options—tuna, salmon, shrimp, and egg—but also his personal favorite, sea bream. That one will be especially difficult to savor.

"My grandson fished everything this morning," the old woman explains with pride.

It's a struggle not to scarf it all down immediately. Kageyama attempts to do math in his head, to figure out how long he could live here on his savings if he just retired tomorrow, but he's never been any good at academics.

"Do you want to eat with us?" Natsu asks. She's wandered over and is pointing to the only other table set with food. It has placements and glassware for four people but only food for two. "You look lonely."

"No," Kageyama replies through a mouthful of sweet potato tempura. "Thank you," he adds. In case she helped cook any of this, he doesn't want to risk offending her. The tempura is especially crisp; it even has a small kick as though they added a touch of wasabi powder.

"Natsu," the grandmother hisses, summoning her back. Kageyama can hear the grandmother scolding the girl but ignores it, just finishes his meal and retires to his room.

Kageyama is laying out his futon when his phone buzzes for the first time, glowing faintly in the dying light. He scowls, angry that it managed to find reception. The buzzing and dings continue as he tucks in the blankets and digs out a pillow from the closet. Finally, he picks up the offending electronic. The previews alone make his heart race, so he powers it off and throws it in the closet under some spare blankets. At a loss of what else to do with himself, he goes to bed early.

***

Kageyama wakes up much too early the next morning. He doesn't need to check his phone to know it can't be any later than 5am; the sun isn't yet up and the crickets are still active but starting to quiet. He went to bed too early, though, and his back is starting to ache from the futon, so he sits up with a stretch, deciding to run. He runs for miles, down a different path this time, and still only passes one grocery store and one convenience store the entire time. He only sees two people, both hunched over and wrinkled with advanced age. He spots many more serow, two foxes, endless rodents of varying sizes, and even one black bear.

Not until the very end of his run does Kageyama see anything of concern: out of the corner of his eye, an orange blur running in the opposite direction.

Later, Kageyama catches Natsu grinning at him long before he realizes he's staring. He hadn't meant to stare. The tray of traditional Japanese breakfast she placed before him was again unreasonably impressive. Breakfast has no reason to be special, but in addition to the expected rice and miso soup, Kageyama was given a too-generous portion of three whole roasted mackerel. He could see Natsu was only eating one half.

"You can sit with me if you want," she offers, patting the seat next to her.

He picks up his breakfast tray and sits down across from her. She's alone this morning, no grandmother to scold her.

"This is too much," Kageyama mumbles, trying not to sound too scary or ungrateful.

"Not at all," Natsu replies, waving his worries away with her hand. "You're our guest! And we saw you running this morning, and you're so tall. You must eat a lot, huh?"

Kageyama merely grunts in reply. She's not wrong. Still, he plucks one of the mackerel from his dish with the backs of his chopsticks and drops it onto her plate.

"No no," she scolds, returning the favor. She then lifts her entire breakfast tray and sets it on her lap, out of Kageyama's sight and well out of his reach. "I'm small; I don't need to eat that much!"

"I saw a raccoon dog this morning bigger than you," he grumbles back. He accepts his defeat easily though, dragging the fish through its sweet miso sauce. In this case, defeat means more delicious food, but he's still wary. He isn't sure this girl's exact age but she looks to be around twelve. He has fangirls that young and food offerings are often how they out themselves.

"You're funny," she laughs.

Kageyama eyes her, suspicious now, but he hasn't noticed any sign of recognition.

"You have a brother, right?" he finally asks.

"Yop! Shoyo!" She leans forward, and he suddenly wonders if she's just incredibly lonely. "Why do you ask? Did he do something to annoy you?"

"No," Kageyama answers, trying to think of how to word his next question. "Are there a lot of people his age around here?"

"No." She lets out a very dramatic sigh. "Everyone always moves as soon as they graduate."

Kageyama lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, relieved. Natsu gives him a look but doesn't pry.

"It's really bad here though," she adds after letting the moment of awkwardness pass. "My class only has four students! There was talk about shutting down the school, but my grandmother and brother went to city hall and screamed at the superintendent. Now it's definitely gonna stay open at least until I graduate."

Kageyama chews his rice and nods. So perhaps she is just lonely.

"Do you like your breakfast?" Natsu asks.

"It's fine," Kageyama grunts. It's, of course, excellent.

"My mom makes most of the food," she explains, seemingly unbothered by his terseness. "I help too, though! I even fried the tempura last night. It was good, right?"

"It was fine," Kageyama again massively underestimates. He literally had dreams about the tempura.

They finish their breakfasts mostly in silence, with Natsu occasionally needling Kageyama with questions, mostly about how he's enjoying his stay. Kageyama wonders if she's meant to inherit the minshuku. His anxieties also subside; it seems the extra food really was just her trying to be a good host.

The minute Kageyama sets down his chopsticks, she does the same, hopping up from her chair.

"Hey," she says. "Do you want to pick tangerines with me?"

"Fine."

Kageyama quickly realizes that he was invited under false pretenses. Natsu has already picked away the low-hanging fruits and needs help reaching the taller branches. She doesn't trust the rickety old ladder and convinces Kageyama to let her sit on his shoulders instead. Together, they fill three baskets.

"Grandma and I are going to make daifuku with them," she explains, running her hands over the fruit piled high in one of the baskets. "I'll make sure you get some for all your help!"

"Thanks," Kageyama replies. He's more excited about this than he dares admit, especially if this girl and her grandmother had anything to do with the sweet from the day before.

"Hey, Sawamura-san?" Natsu asks.

"Tobio," Kageyama corrects, starting to feel badly for giving a fake last name.

"Okay!" she agrees. "Hey, Tobio?"

"Yes?"

"You're from Tokyo, right?" she asks.

"Yes," Kageyama replies. He worries about the direction of this conversation.

"Why did you come all the way out here?"

"Tokyo's too crowded," he deflects.

"How long are you planning to stay?"

"I don't know." He only booked for the week. He's definitely extending that.

"Hmm," Natsu ponders, stroking her chin as though deep in thought. "Well, I like you, Tobio! I'm really glad you're here!"

Tobio thinks about this. He likes this girl's company too.

"Oi," someone shouts, an angry voice getting closer. "Don't hit on underage girls! She's only fifteen, you creep!"

"Sho!" Natsu yells back, stepping in front of Kageyama, as if she could somehow protect him with her tiny body. "Don't be stupid! Not every guy is hitting on me all the time!"

"You know nothing about men, Natsu," Shoyo insists, stomping over to give Kageyama a good stare-down.

Kageyama stares back, recognizing him as the orange blur from earlier. He's not intimidated at all. Shoyo falters for a second but quickly regains himself. Kageyama is impressed; he has made lesser men cry with his glare.

"What do you want with my sister, creep?" Shoyo asks, teeth grit.

"Her sweets," Kageyama answers, smirking.

Shoyo starts sputtering, looking horrified, and turns to Natsu as if to say _I told you so_ , but Natsu just laughs.

"He means daifuku, Sho, calm down," Natsu insists, giving her brother a firm shoulder pat. "We were picking fruit. For sweets. God, you're such a spaz."

After a few additional threats are issued, Shoyo seems convinced that Natsu is safe for the time being. It helps that Natsu bribes him with a handful of tangerines, although Kageyama finds it oddly suspicious when he backs down so quickly. Shoyo is right; men are creepy, and somehow the fact that his sister looks even younger than her age only makes it worse.

"Hey, if you ever want to hang out with people old enough to drink," Shoyo says, stopping on his way back inside. "Just let me know!"

"I don't drink," Kageyama answers.

"Karaoke then?" Shoyo suggests. "They have tea, I think?"

"I don't sing."

"There isn't much else to do in the countryside, man," Shoyo replies, laughing. "I'm not sure how else you expect to kill your time."

"Just be the two of us?" Kageyama asks after a long pause. He knows he's going to get bored, but enough to risk subjecting himself to this guy? Drunk and with a microphone no less?

"No, I'd invite everyone!" Shoyo corrects, enthusiastic now, and clearly already figuring out plans in his head.

"Your sister said all your friends left?" Kageyama asks, perhaps tactlessly.

"She's just being dramatic," Shoyo explains. "Not everyone leaves, just—" a flash of unmistakable sadness flashes across his face. "—almost everyone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! ♥
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated, as I sometimes wonder if anyone is reading! ♥ Thank you!
> 
> Let's be Haikyuu!! friends on Twitter @[dayoldcupcake](https://twitter.com/dayoldcupcake)!


	2. Idling

  
( art commission by [@norainacad](https://twitter.com/norainacad) )

# Chapter 2

By the fifth day of his stay, Kageyama's new routine is set. He's up before sunrise, dressed, and sneaking down the wooden hallway of the inn, passed the rooms of the still-sleeping members of the Hinata family. He slides along in his socks, not once picking up his feet, lest he trigger the countless creaky floorboards of the ancient house.

As soon as he makes it outside, he breaths a huge sigh of relief, laces up his sneakers, and takes off sprinting. He begins along a familiar path, down the concrete road he took on the first day, leading from the inn back to the train station.

Each day, he travels a little further, testing the limits of the town and creeping ever closer to where the open fields fade into thick forests. Kageyama never attempts an actual hike though, too aware of his limitations as a born-and-raised city-dweller. Natsu, for her part, likes to mention daily just how quickly he'd get eaten by a bear were he ever to try and explore the mountains on his own.

Jogging past the train station, Kageyama nods and waves to the few faces that have already started to become familiar. An elderly couple brushing debris from their stoop, an old man struggling with the reigns of a stubborn horse, and a woman in dusty clothes setting out vegetables on a cloth by the roadside to sell. At this early hour, the few other townsfolk are still asleep.

Feeling emboldened, even comfortable, Kageyama comes to a stop outside the town's sole convenience store. So far, he's kept to the inn during the day, and his explorations of the town to the very early morning and late evening, never entering any of the other businesses. This is a threshold he hasn't crossed yet, but it feels like an important one. It's an especially hot morning and his throat is already burning with dryness. With a deep breath, Kageyama steps up to the door. It slides open automatically.

Peering around, there are no other customers. One lone employee stands behind the counter. He looks to be about Kageyama's own age. Kageyama walks the perimeter of the store, trying to avoid the employee's view.

Even something as simple as this is a reminder of how far he's traveled. It's not a Lawson, Seven Eleven, or Family Mart, but rather an old-looking Sunkus. The brands and selections are all a little off, the layout unclear, but once he gets to the refrigerated drink section, things become more familiar. He selects a Pocari Sweat and lingers for a moment with the door open, allowing the artificial cooling to chill his skin and nerves.

Focused on breathing normally, Kageyama walks down the narrow aisle to the cashier and slides the drink toward the young man. He's tall and lanky, with blonde hair and glasses, though Kageyama tries not to meet his eyes. The man pays him no mind in return, even though Kageyama is acting suspicious as hell. He doesn't even look up, just scans the Pocari Sweat, his own eyes glazed over with boredom.

"110yen," the employee mutters, with no additional greeting or honorifics.

Grunting, Kageyama digs around his pockets for the money to pay. The blonde man finally glances up then, and their eyes meet. Kageyama's breathe catches, but there is no hint of recognition in this stranger, only unmistakable impatience and annoyance. With a shaking hand, Kageyama hands over two coins and hurries out of the store. The employee doesn't thank him.

Standing just outside, Kageyama uncaps the bottle and starts to drink, thinking. It's a relief not to be recognized, but so much for small-town charm. He wouldn't even expect an interaction that cold in Tokyo, and people from the country were supposed to be so much friendlier. Natsu surely was.

Back in Tokyo, even as a kid, Kageyama was used to keeping to himself. He threw himself into his own interests and it had worked out; he'd made a lucrative career out of his only real passion. Still, something about sitting across Natsu every morning, eating the food she lovingly prepared with her mother and grandmother, and even just the distant noises of their chattering throughout the day, surfaced a longing in Kageyama that he never knew he had.

He's still thinking about this at breakfast, which he'd hurried toward faster than usual that morning. Natsu is sitting across from him, chewing hard on her lip in an attempt to hold back a smile.

"Okay, don't take this the wrong way," she says, studying his face.

"What?" 

There's a long pause. She's often like this, struggling to delicately assemble her words when they might cause offense. "Has anyone ever told you that your smile is a little—" she trails off, making a twirling gesture with her hand, clearly unable to find a kind enough adjective. "Unique?"

"I've been told it's horrifying."

"What? No! It's not horrifying! What a mean thing for your friends to say!"

Kageyama wants to correct her—he doesn't have _friends_. He has people that range from acquaintances to outright tormentors, but that seems beside the point. So he just shrugs.

"Well anyway," she says, letting the moment pass. "You're smiling today. Why?"

Kageyama organizes his chopsticks, setting them neatly across his bowl of rice. He presses them together, aligns them perfectly, and then removes one to stir his miso soup which had begun to separate.

Natsu doesn't press him while he stalls, though he can feel her eyes on him, even as he distracts himself with his breakfast. She's patient, too. And persistent.

After a long pause, he finally looks up at her. "Who should I talk to about extending my stay?"

Her reaction is immediate. Natsu slams her own chopsticks down in excitement. Both hands follow, landing flat on the table as she bursts out of her seat and leans over the table. Her face is mere inches from Kageyama's and her eyes are bright.

"Aha! What wonderful news! I can take care of that for you! How long were you thinking?"

Kageyama shrugs a little and leans back instinctively, uncomfortable with how close she is. His anxiety starts to rise too, as he realizes he'll need to charge his phone soon, if only to check on his employment status after disappearing so suddenly. He let the battery die after the second day which seemed like a good idea at the time.

"Uhh," he stutters. "Possibly a while but I can't be sure. Do you... often book up?"

Natsu laughs hard and gestures around the empty dining room. "You've been here almost a week. What do you think?"

"There must be busy seasons. Is there an annual festival?"

"Not really, not anymore." Natsu sighs, sitting back down. "We made good business before they built the bullet train. People would rest here before continuing south, but now..." she trails off, not needing to finish. Now, the bullet train connects passengers all the way to Kagoshima, a trip that easily takes under a day.

"Hmm." Kageyama rarely has much to offer in the way of comfort, but Natsu doesn't seem to mind. She smiles, already shifting back into her agreeable hostess mode, thoughts about the inn's struggles gone.

"To answer your question," she says, sitting up a little straighter. "You can extend a few days at a time. We'll do our best to keep you well-fed and happy, and hopefully then you'll tell all your Tokyo friends about us, huh?"

Once again, Kageyama has no friends, but he nods anyway. "Sure."

***

After breakfast, Kageyama passes Shoyo in the narrow hallway. Kageyama is running into the Hinata family constantly; they do live here, after all, but Shoyo is the most elusive of the four. He always seems to be ducking in and out at odd hours and Kageyama hasn't seen Shoyo sit down for a meal with his family even once.

Even now, Shoyo seems to be sneaking breakfast to his room. He's got the tray balanced precariously on three fingers even though his other hand is free. It's a completely stupid and reckless thing to do, and he seems distracted on top of it. Kageyama looks up and down the hallway. There's absolutely nothing out of the ordinary, nothing worth getting preoccupied by. Kageyama frowns, thinking of the ancient floorboards and how Natsu would probably be left with the mess were he to drop anything.

"Oi," Kageyama shouts.

He realizes his mistake a second too late. Startled, Shoyo stumbles and actually does lose balance of the tray. Kageyama steps forward with an outstretched hand, but Shoyo stabilizes himself in time.

Shoyo turns, furious. "What the hell!?"

Kageyama hesitates. He knows he was in the wrong, but he's also annoyed for some reason he can't place. "You should be more careful."

"You're the reason I almost dropped it!"

Fair and true. Kageyama narrows his eyes, trying to pinpoint why he's so angry with this perfect stranger. He thinks about Natsu. "Why don't you eat with your family?"

Shoyo turns to face Kageyama properly, meeting his furious gaze and standing a little taller. He's at least two heads shorter than Kageyama, but something about his demeanor makes it clear that he's nobody to push around.

"Why did you come all the way here?" Shoyo shoots back. "Just to hang out with my sister all day?"

Kageyama takes a step back and scowls, caught without a good retort.

"I knew you'd get bored," Shoyo crows, immediately cocky.

"I'm not bored."

"You clearly are," he says, smirking now. "Hey man, if you're lonely, I already told you I'd introduce you to my friends."

"Pass."

Shoyo shrugs and waves off Kageyama. He's trying to put on an air of uncaring, but he seems frustrated, stomping down the hallway. He disappears into the room right beside Kageyama's own.

Kageyama watches him go, newly motivated to find things to do to keep himself occupied.

Much as he hates to admit it, keeping busy here is harder than it seems. He stares at his dead phone. He walks around the perimeter of the inn. He works out in his room. He naps. He makes multiple cups of tea, sipping each very, very slowly. He even tries to remember the proper way to meditate. His room seems to shrink with each passing day, the space feeling more and more confining until Kageyama finds himself driven out by it.

He finally finds himself creeping down the hallways off the inn, though it's the middle of the day now and he could just walk normally. The smell of leeks and garlic lure him first, followed by the animated chatter of Natsu and her mother. Minshuku don't technically serve lunch to their guests, though Natsu's been sneaking him meals most days anyway.

Kageyama paces the hallway. He knows he's being weird, huffing the savory scents of their cooking and trying to find comfort in their voices without explicitly eavesdropping, but he can't stand to spend another moment alone.

Nothing but a cotton curtain separates the kitchen from where Kageyama stands, so when Natsu pokes her head out, she spots him immediately. Her face is red and shining with droplets of sweat, hair tied back in a ponytail.

"I thought I heard you out here!"

"Sorry." Immediately embarrassed, Kageyama considers making a run for it.

"Don't be! Do you want to cook with us?"

Like most Japanese boys, Kageyama did take home economics in school, but he hasn't cooked on his own, and he never prepared a meal with his family, not once.

"Uh—"

Natsu leans out and snatches a fistful of Kageyama's sleeve, pulling him toward the cloud of steam coming from the kitchen. "Mom! Grandma! Sawamura's going to help us make lunch."

"Oh?" Natsu's mother asks. "Are you a good cook?"

"Uh—"

There's a feeling of whiplash, going from the cool, open quiet of the hallway to the hectic, cramped, humid heat of the kitchen. Natsu's grandmother is there too, sitting on a low stool in the corner peeling potatoes. All four burners on the stove are on; there are two huge stock pots, a large frying pan, and a smaller sauce pan simmering with something brown and thick and _delicious_ smelling. Natsu and her mother are standing hip-to-hip, Natsu's mother over the stove and Natsu surveying a table littered with an impressive assortment of vegetables.

Kageyama barely fits, in more ways than one. Even the ceiling is low. He's standing too-close to Natsu, bent awkwardly over a chopping board. Huge droplets of sweat slide down his neck. It's not entirely from the heat.

"Mom," Natsu scolds. "He's a guy from Tokyo. No, he can't cook. Give him something easy, like chopping carrots. Oh! Or onions." She turns to grin at Kageyama, eyes twinkling. "When was the last time you had a good cry?"

He scowls at her. She returns his look with a beaming smile and by shoving six huge onions toward him.

Kageyama is openly crying by the time he starts the second onion. Natsu tries not to laugh at him but fails badly. Between breathy chuckles, she cranes her neck to address her grandmother.

"Grandma, Sawamura's looking for new things to do around town."

"Hmm," her grandmother says, turning to appraise Kageyama. "There isn't much for a young man like yourself."

"Don't say that," Natsu's mother scolds. "There's plenty to do, Sawamura. We have beautiful waterfalls and hidden shrines and the three fountains! They're said to grant wishes, you know."

Natsu sighs. "They're really deep in the mountains, though. We'd lose our only guest if we sent him out hiking."

"Shoyo's always off in the mountains," her mother says. "Why don't you ask him to guide you?"

Kageyama scowls and Natsu, noticing this immediately, laughs harder.

"What's funny about that?" her mother asks, smacking Natsu with a dish towel. "Your brother is really knowledgeable and one day you two are going to run this inn together, right?"

Natsu turns toward Kageyama, making a show of rolling her eyes. "Yes, mother."

By the fourth onion, Natsu is crying too, and Kageyama can't see well enough to chop carefully, almost slicing his thumb. They're both dismissed to get some fresh air.

"I know a place, but don't tell my grandmother," she says, blotting her eyes on her sleeve.

She leads him toward the baths, toward the large pink cotton curtain displaying the kanji for _woman_. Kageyama stops dead in his tracks and she laughs, tugging him forward.

"Don't worry! Nobody's in there right now! Trust me!"

They walk past the rather plain indoor bath, through a small door, and to the outside.

There must be a fence, because the area is completely private, but everything's been overgrown with thick greenery, giving the feeling of being deep in the forest. More importantly, the women's outdoor bath is huge. Whereas the men's bath is nothing more than a glorified bucket, this is essentially a small lake, complete with a small rocky waterfall. The hot spring itself is surrounded by huge smooth rocks splattered with bright green plants and vibrant flowers.

"We're a matriarchal family," Natsu says, somewhat defensively, as if she can read Kageyama's mind.

They stop first at the shower—this part at least is similar to that on the men's side, just a faucet, hose, and rusty old knob to adjust the water's temperature. Normally they'd sit naked on the small plastic stool and scrub themselves from head to toe before getting in, but today they just squat down to rub their calves and feet with lavender bar soap.

Kageyama stands, rinses his feet off with the hose, then joins Natsu at the side of the hot spring. They sit about a foot apart and dip their legs into the warm water.

Natsu turns to him with an earnest smile, clearly pleased by his company. It's still a strange feeling; Kageyama isn't used to people wanting him around.

"Are you bored yet?" she asks.

"You sound like your brother."

Natsu leans back onto her elbows, and Kageyama worries about the rough earth digging into her skin, but she doesn't seem bothered.

"He's not wrong," she says. "Our little town isn't exactly as exciting as Tokyo. And it's pretty obvious you're a little stir crazy"

"What does he do all day, exactly?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Kageyama hesitates for just a second, but it feels too long for what is an otherwise innocuous and completely fair retort. "And when would I do that? He's never around."

"He's not a bad guy." Natsu stares a little too hard into Kageyama's eyes, as if she's trying to read him. "Sho's just lonely. He hates it here."

"Tokyo's not that great either," Kageyama mutters without thinking.

"You'd like him," Natsu insists. "Give him a try. Next time you see him! If you really don't want to meet his stupid friends, maybe try to convince him to take you to one of the waterfalls."

"Why don't you take me?"

"That's not my thing. My place is here," she says, looking around. "But if you guys have fun, report back, so I can add it to my advertising materials!"

***

The rest of the day drags by at a snail's pace. When evening fails, Kageyama makes his way outside, to the porch overlooking the inn's garden. He's been revisiting meditation, and is doing so now, his focus set on nothing but his breathing and the sky above.

Japan's countryside at night is nearly pitch black, illuminated only by blinking fireflies and the soft glow of starlight. Every Japanese child celebrates Tanabata annually and ponders the importance of the Milky Way in Japanese lore, but few are lucky enough to get to see it with naked eyes like this.

Focused as he is, Kageyama almost doesn't hear the soft crunching of footsteps drawing nearer. He lowers his head, pulling his eyes away from the sky to find Shoyo standing there and watching him. Perhaps it's Natsu's words echoing in his mind, or the way the moonlight reflects off his golden eyes, but Shoyo does look sad. His eyes are drooping, shoulders sagging, and it seems to be an effort for him to even hold Kageyama's gaze as they observe each other.

Kageyama wants to be nice, maybe even comfort him, but he's not like Natsu. He never knows the right thing to say.

"Where do you go all day?" he asks.

Shoyo's shoulders tense immediately, defensively. "Who wants to know?"

"Me." Kageyama turns to him. "Are you stupid? That's why I'm asking."

"Why do you want to know?"

Kageyama thinks about this, then he grins. He's all too aware of how deformed his attempts at smiling are, but he suddenly knows the right thing to say. "I'm bored."

Shoyo looks unnerved by Kageyama's expression at first, but then returns the smile sleepily. He joins Kageyama on the porch, sitting first. He stretches his legs over the grass and flops back, lying flat beside Kageyama. He stares up at the stars but seems unimpressed by them. "Is that an admission of defeat?"

"No."

"So you don't want to hang out with my friends?"

"Maybe I do," Kageyama mutters. Shoyo is still staring straight up at the sky but Kageyama finds himself averting his eyes anyway. His heart is racing, as it often does when he accepts social invitations. At least, that's what he tells himself as he fixates on the stars. "But I'm not admitting defeat. I don't do that."

Shoyo huffs, though he doesn't seem sincerely annoyed. Natsu does the same thing; feigns offense.

"Fine. Whatever you want to call it." Shoyo turns his head to smile at Kageyama, flashing a toothy grin, and the familial resemblance between him and Natsu is suddenly very striking.

Kageyama pretends to be mesmerized by the Milky Way, if only to avoid looking at him. He's already doubting himself. He shouldn't have accepted the invitation. Shoyo elusive, or pissed off, or sad, he could handle, maybe, but this charming variation might be a problem.

"Your friends," Kageyama says, trying to hide the tremble in his voice. "Are they— uh, nice?"

"They're fine."

"That's not a very strong endorsement," Kageyama mutters.

"I don't have a lot of options."

"Do you introduce them to all your guests?"

Shoyo scoffs. "They're not _my_ guests. They're my family's inn's guests. And no. Only the ones that seem interesting."

"I'm not interesting."

"That's for me to decide."

"Maybe I shouldn't—" Kageyama says, hesitating. "I really don't drink, or party—"

"Nu-uh! There's no backing out now!" Shoyo sits up suddenly, turning to look at Kageyama. "Besides, you'll probably get along with Tsukishima. You're both quiet, grumpy types."

Kageyama realizes, suddenly, that the name tag on the employee that morning, said Tsukishima.

"Is he tall, and blonde?" Kageyama asks. "With glasses?"

"Ahh, you went into the Sunkus this morning?" Shoyo chuckles. "Yah, that's him. Tell me, was it like looking in a mirror?"

Kageyama finally turns to look at Shoyo, scowling. "I'm nothing like that guy."

"Sure, sure," Shoyo says, laughing. "And I bet he'll say exactly the same thing about you after you two meet."

Kageyama catches himself before he can snap back with ' _if_ we meet.' Though he can't contain the growing panic inside him, he knows he should go. If anything, daring a peek at Shoyo, it seems accepting his invitation has re-energized him. Shoyo's cheeks are pink and and his eyes are bright. It makes Kageyama almost sad, to think Shoyo spends most of his day in a depressed state. Why doesn't he just leave?

"Well, goodnight," Kageyama says abruptly, standing, before he can ask anything truly insensitive. Kageyama suddenly needs to be far away from him.

"Sure, goodnight," Shoyo mumbles, watching as Kageyama escapes to the privacy of his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! ♥
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated, as I sometimes wonder if anyone is reading! ♥ Thank you!
> 
> Let's be Haikyuu!! friends on Twitter @[dayoldcupcake](https://twitter.com/dayoldcupcake)!


	3. Driving

  
( art commission by [@yankasmiles](https://twitter.com/yankasmiles) )

# Chapter 3

Kagayama barely sleeps over the following two nights. The crickets are deafening and his futon has gotten stiffer, somehow. The air seems stifling, less fresh. He kicks the thick blankets off himself for the fourth time that night.

Flopping onto his back, he wonders if this time will feel better. He couldn't get comfortable on either side, in any position, with any combination of pillows and blankets. Kageyama scowls at the ceiling, a low growl escaping. He can feel himself waking up _even more_ as the crickets continue their ruckus right outside his window.

He expected Shoyo's stupid social outing to take longer to schedule, but apparently Shoyo and his friends had nothing better to do with their time. Even after agreeing to go, Kageyama had hoped the nightmare could be put off for a while, forever maybe, but they had gone and picked a date right away—today, this morning, in just a few hours.

Now, as he feels the lack of sleep picking away at his sanity, Kageyama realizes it may be wise to get it over with.

Shutting his eyes, he takes a few deep breaths. For a few peaceful moments, Kageyama's mind clears, and he feels the familiar heaviness of sleep seeping into his limbs.

How quickly will Shoyo and his friends realize that Kageyama is an awkward and unsociable loner, anyway? At least once they do, they'll never try to invite him out again. Problem solved.

Kageyama's eyes pop open. He still can't sleep. Why can't he sleep? It's just drinks and karaoke, apparently. He's been trying not to bring it up with Natsu, paranoid about coming off as oddly obsessed with something so insignificant and normal, but he can't stop thinking about it.

He doesn't know what to expect. He hasn't really gone out with people like this in... years. It's not like he can ask anyone. Kageyama hasn't been back near the Sunkus since he first ran into Tsukishima, and he's only seen Shoyo once since they met that night.

_Hope you can sing_ , Shoyo had said, flashing a toothy grin while once again slipping off to god-knows-where with a backpack full of his family's food.

Kageyama didn't sing. He could, probably. Technically, anyone could sing, but whether he could sing _well_? Well, that was another thing.

The room is becoming too warm again, so Kageyama throws off the blanket. He scoots to his knees and adds it as an additional layer to his futon. Perhaps now, with his bedding softer, he'll be able to sleep. He flops down, on his side this time, and exhales slowly. Yes, this is much more comfortable.

As for drinking, Kageyama definitely isn't going to do that. He has before, and he doesn't hate alcohol, but there is no way he's going to risk losing control around a bunch of strange guys.

Was Tsukishima going to be nicer outside of work, or was he a bitter grump all the time? Who were Shoyo's other friends? Were any of them girls? Were any of them couples? God, they've all probably known each other for years and years, though. He was going to stick out even worse than usual.

Feeling a chill, Kageyama sits up and reaches for the discarded blanket. He pulls it back over himself and flips back onto his side. Tucking himself in, he lets out a deep sigh. Okay, this is comfortable. He'll definitely fall asleep this time.

He doesn't sleep the entire night.

*** 

"You didn't run this morning," Natsu says in lieu of a greeting as soon as Kageyama takes his typical seat across from her at breakfast.

Kageyama blinks sleepily. He can feel crust prickling at the corners of his eyes and resists the urge to rub at it. "Rest day."

"You didn't sleep well?"

"I slept fine," Kageyama grumbles.

Natsu glances down at his untouched food. She doesn't look convinced. "Mhmm." After a pause, she drags her eyes up to meet his. "Are you nervous about today?"

"I don't—" Kageyama starts to say, hating how easily she read him. "I don't really... go out," he finally confesses, grabbing a clump of rice with his chopsticks before dropping it back into the bowl. There's an acidic taste in his mouth. It's a shame, as the food looks as appealing as always, otherwise.

"That's all?" Natsu asks.

"What else would there be?"

"Nothing!" Natsu leans back and offers Kageyama a gentle smile. "Well, don't worry. My brother and his friends are just a bunch of bored country idiots."

"You said to give them a chance," Kageyama mutters.

"You should! They're _charming,_ bored country idiots."

Kageyama puts his head in his hands. Natsu leans over to offer a comforting pat on his shoulder.

"What's with him?"

Kageyama lifts his head. Shoyo is standing a few feet from them, apparently having decided to finally grace his family with his presence for a change.

"He regrets agreeing to meet your dumb friends," Natsu explains, addressing her brother.

Shoyo lets out an amused noise, a single breath of air that escapes through his nose. "That's super rude." He steps around Natsu to grab the small plate of mackerel and bowl of rice from her breakfast tray. "Too bad! They're really excited. See you outside in twenty?"

Letting his head fall back to his hands, Kageyama merely groans in reply. He can hear Shoyo's breathy laughter as he once again escapes to eat alone in his room.

Natsu doesn't say anything about the stolen food, just resumes patting Kageyama's shoulder. "It'll be fine."

***

Shoyo is sitting on the front porch when Kageyama stumbles outside, two fingers still caught in his left sneaker as he attempts to slip it on fully. Shoyo eyes him, grinning, but doesn't say anything. He just stands, slinging a backpack over his shoulder. After taking a few steps forward, he pauses to wait for Kageyama to finish struggling.

They walk together to the small gravel driveway of the inn. Shoyo pulls out his keys and unlocks the driver's side door to a neon green Toyota subcompact.

"You drive?" Kageyama asks, incredulous.

"You don't?" 

"We have trains in Tokyo," Kageyama says. "They're big rectangles that travel on tracks."

Shoyo scowls at him, clearly not amused. "We have alcoholism here. It's where you drink until you die because there's nothing better to do."

Recalling the distinctive sound of glass clinking together in Shoyo's heavy-looking backpack, Kageyama is suddenly concerned. "Is that what you're planning on doing today?"

"No, no," Shoyo says, chuckling and stepping into the car. He tosses his bag onto the back seat. It lands with a barely-muffled clang. "Today we're just going to have fun!"

Kageyama stands outside the car, his hand resting on the door. "How are you planning on getting us home, exactly? I don't drive."

"Mm, that is a shame, because you'd be very useful if you did." Shoyo leans over the empty passenger seat, stretching to push open Kaeyama's door from inside the car. "We'll just _daiko_."

"What?" Reluctantly, Kageyama carefully ducks into the car. He has to slide the seat back as far as it'll go, and even then his legs barely fit.

"God, have you ever been outside the city at all? You know, a taxi driver takes you home in your own car?"

"That's such a..."

"Hick solution to a hick problem? Yah, well, we can't exactly walk."

They certainly couldn't. They have to drive for over ten minutes before they even make their first stop, to pick up one of Shoyo's friends.

"Tadashi!"

"Hey, Shoyo!" The new guy, plain-looking with freckles, slides into the back seat behind Shoyo and gives a small wave to Kageyama. "Where did you find this guy?"

"He's staying at my family's inn."

"Ahh." Yamaguchi turns to address Kageyama. "I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi. Where are you from?"

"Sawamura Tobio," Kageyama answers, without making any effort to turn toward this new person. "I'm from Tokyo."

"Are you here to visit family or just trying to get away?" Yamaguchi asks.

"Something like that."

"It's been too long since I went to Tokyo," Yamaguchi rambles on, clearly either unbothered by, or incapable of reading, Kageyama's lack of desire to talk. "Those bullet train tickets are way too expensive. Last time I had to take the night bus. How did you get here?"

"Uh, bullet train."

"Rich guy, huh? Shoyo's never even been to Tokyo once, did he tell you that?"

"No," Kageyama mutters, realizing this might be the first thing he's ever learned about Shoyo. "He doesn't talk much."

"Are you serious?" Yamaguchi chokes on his laughter, looking between the two of them, clearly not believing this. "Did you just get here today?"

Shoyo's grip on the steering wheel tightens. "How was Hitoka the last time you saw her?"

"That's so mean, Shoyo." Yamaguchi whines, flopping back against his seat. "She's fine. We're fine. We're very happy."

"You're happy only seeing each other twice a year?" Shoyo presses back, grinding his teeth. He's annoyed, clearly, but Kageyama can't understand why.

"Shoyo doesn't believe in long-distance relationships," Yamaguchi explains, looking at Kageyama.

This is already so incredibly uncomfortable. Kageyama doesn't know how he's going to survive an entire day of this. He doesn't know these people. Why did he agree to this?

Kageyama's thoughts are interrupted when they pull up to another house, this one after an especially long stretch of nothing but rice fields. The house is small and well-worn, a single car parked in front.

"Do you want to make room for Kei?" Shoyo asks, pulling himself up in his seat. He tries to catch Yamaguchi's eyes in the rear-view mirror.

Kageyama twists in his seat, peering back and realizing he's left very little space behind himself. Yamaguchi is measuring the same space with his eyes, seemingly amused.

"Not really, no," Yamaguchi concludes.

"Fine with me." Shoyo presses hard on the steering wheel, causing both Kageyama and Yamaguchi to flinch as the horn blares.

Tsukishima exits his house looking just as sour and unfriendly as he was the day Kageyama met him in the convenience store. His eyes search for Shoyo first, glaring, before he walks over to the car. As soon as he sees the three-inch legroom they've left him, he lets out a slow, angry breath.

Yamaguchi pats the seat beside him with a big smile. "Long time no see, Tsukki!"

Tsukishima seems to make extra effort to kick the back of Kageyama's seat, and then both of Yamaguchi's legs, as he wedges himself into the back of the too-small car.

"Assholes," he seethes in greeting.

"You're welcome for picking you up," Shoyo replies cheerfully.

There's additional banter, but Kageyama tunes it out, barely able to hear over the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears. The tiny car's AC can't seem to keep up with having four bodies crammed inside, and Kageyama is wiping sweat from his forehead by the time Shoyo announces their arrival at the Maneki Neko Karaoke Bar.

They always go during the daytime because it's cheaper, Kageyama learns, probably the last person in Japan to do so.

As soon as they collect their basket from the front desk, with its tiny clipboard tracking their entry time, two freshly-sanitized microphones, and a handful of wet wipes, Shoyo leads the way to room 108. Inside, there's a rectangular table, surrounded on three sides by cushioned booths. The fourth side has a small open space with a disco ball overhead; on the wall behind it is a flat screen TV flanked by two huge speakers.

They all take their seats, Shoyo and Yamaguchi taking the ends and Tsukishima and Kageyama both sliding into the middle.

Shoyo, it turns out, is too cheap to pay 600円 for each "super weak" drink and produces smuggled bottles of alcohol and mixers with a grin. Kageyama is horrified by this—they'd get kicked out in Tokyo for trying to BYOB—but then the other two pull out their own secret stashes, yet another reminder that Kageyama is the odd one out in this town.

"We need to start with a _jikoshoukai_ game," Shoyo says, referring to the Japanese obsession with self-introductions. "Everyone introduce yourself, but if you say the words 'I, me, or my,' you have to drink, and no thinking too hard."

Tsukishima scoffs, adjusting his glasses and eyeing Shoyo with a sneer. "What are we, five?"

"Five-year-olds can't drink, stupid, so _no_ ," Shoyo shoots back.

In his head, Kageyama goes through his many past _jikoshoukai_. He doesn't see how to avoid those words without sounding illiterate. "How do you even win a game like that?"

"You don't," Yamaguchi answers immediately, smiling as though Kageyama's question was very stupid. "That's the point. To get drunk."

"Right," Kageyama mutters.

Yamaguchi is apparently the go-to drink bartender and starts to mix everyone's favorite drinks with the smuggled ingredients. They even brought plastic cups and ice. Tsukishima drinks Kahlua milk; Yamaguchi prefers Sapporo straight from the can, and Shoyo likes a fifty-fifty mixture of oolong tea and peach liqueur. Kageyama steadfastly refuses to drink any alcohol, and so, with great annoyance, Shoyo allows Yamaguchi to pour him a plain oolong tea.

"Hey," Shoyo says, putting an elbow on the table and sliding forward, toward the other three. He grins. "I'm Hinata Shoyo."

Yamaguchi holds up one finger—to keep track of the drink count, Kageyama assumes.

"I'm from Kamisaibara," Shoyo starts to say, as Yamaguchi holds up a second finger. "I've never been to Tokyo. I have one sister. My hobby is hiking. I like meatbuns..."

Shoyo continues talking, each sentence beginning with an 'I' or 'my'. Kageyama doesn't understand. Shoyo isn't even trying to win the game.

By the time he finishes his self-introduction, Shoyo has to drink over twenty times. Yamaguchi ends up drinking only four, actually playing properly. Tsukishima seems to be in the middle, neither bothering to rack up a high score, nor caring enough to try and avoid the taboo words.

"My name is Tsukishima Kei. I live in Kamisaibara and work at a convenience store with this annoying kid I used to go to school with and sometimes I agree to torture myself by listening to him sing out of sheer boredom. My hobby is being away from all of you and my dream is to move anywhere else."

When they all finally turn to Kageyama, he pauses, trying to mirror Tsukishima's bored expression and hoping they can't hear his racing heartbeat.

"I'm, uh, Sawamura Tobio, from Saitama. My hobby is running and I work a boring office job."

It feels like an eternity, waiting for Yamaguchi to announce that he racked up a score of three. Nobody seems to mind that he didn't say much, and only Shoyo makes a muttered comment about how his drink is just tea anyway. Their attention is off him almost immediately anyway; Yamaguchi gains control of the song picker while Shoyo is distracted watching Kageyama drink, and before Shoyo notices, Yamaguchi has already entered three AKB48 songs in a row.

"Hey, no fair!" Shoyo cries, watching in horror as song after song pops up on the TV queue. "We take turns, that's karaoke etiquette!"

"Etiquette would be never subjecting anyone to your bad taste," Tsukishima says, snatching the picker from Yamaguchi as Shoyo reaches for it and whines.

"My songs are awesome," Shoyo insists, pouting.

"You're going to regret coming here," Tsukishima says, addressing Kageyama with a pitying look. He enters one song—a rock song, by the looks of it—before handing it to Kageyama.

"I don't sing," Kageyama says, passing it to Shoyo, who squeals with delight. He immediately enters a song that makes both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima groan.

"You have no idea what you just did," Tsukishima says.

Kageyama grunts and leans back against the bench cushion. He doesn't go out much. If a group invites him out, they usually don't welcome him back a second time, not once they realize how un-fun he is. It's always worse in a situation like this, when he's forced to intrude on a group that already knows each other and clearly have a long-standing friendship and established dynamic.

When Shoyo's song comes up, Kageyama doesn't initially understand what the big deal is. It's a little sexual, sure, but a lot of music is.

"This song is older than your grandmother," Yamaguchi says, laughing.

"Shut up," Shoyo shouts as soon as there's a break in the lyrics. He's dancing under the disco ball, his back to the TV. He clearly knows the lyrics by heart. "It's a classic!"

"You really shouldn't flaunt your depravity in front of new people," Tsukishima says.

"Shut up, Tsukki, there's nothing wrong with this song," Yamaguchi hisses, elbowing Tsukishima.

"There is something wrong with Shoyo though—ow!" Tsukishima hisses. "I'm joking, God!"

Kageyama watches the tussling friends. It's more comfortable than watching Shoyo sing. Given his flushed cheeks and dopey smile, to say nothing of the highly inappropriate way he's moving his body to the lyrics, Kageyama has no doubt Shoyo is already drunk. This is why people shouldn't drink; they make fools of themselves.

_An egoist who wants you to love me,_ _  
I want to struggle until I'm deep inside you._

Upon further thought, Tsukishima is right. This song is depraved.

By the time Shoyo finishes singing, he's breathless, with beads of sweat dotting his forehead. He drops back into his seat only to be met with an amused look from Yamaguchi and matching looks of disgust from both Tsukishima and Kageyama.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Shoyo's eyebrows shoot up. "What!?"

"You're such a freak," Tsukishima mutters.

"Rude. And what about you?" Shoyo asks, turning to Kageyama.

Caught off guard, Kageyama opens his mouth, then closes it. He scowls, eyes narrowing. He's angry with Shoyo for dragging him here, and even more now that he's been subjected to such a gross display. "Are all your songs that disgusting?"

"Jeez." Shoyo jerks back as though physically hurt by Kageyama's harsh tone. "You're no fun."

"I _told you that_ from the start," Kageyama growls, openly irritated now. "So why did you drag me here?

"I thought you might have fun," Shoyo mumbles, each word getting progressively softer. He slides down in his seat, sinking down partially beneath the table. "Sorry."

Ah, yes. This. This is why Kageyama never goes out anywhere.

"It's fine." Kageyama sighs, unwilling to look at either Yamaguchi or Tsukishima. They must think he's a psycho. Kageyama runs a finger through the condensation on the outside of his drink and wills the moment to pass.

It does. Yamaguchi un-pauses the queue and yet another AKB48 song blasts through the speakers, filling the tiny space. On the flat screen TV, the original music video plays, of numerous young girls in colorful uniforms doing a synchronized dance on the streets of Akihabara.

Drunk himself, it seems, Yamaguchi scrambles free of his own seat at the booth and enthusiastically begins to mirror their moves. After a verse, he dances over to Shoyo and starts smacking his shoulder.

"This is a group dance!" Yamaguchi says, giddy. "Come on!"

"I'm a little dizzy," Shoyo mumbles, still sunken in his seat, deflated. His current drink is a plain tea; Kageyama noticed him pour it.

Yamaguchi doesn't accept this, grabbing Shoyo's arm and pulling. "We always do this one together!"

The discomfort is wiped clean as soon as Shoyo finally joins him, shaking off any lingering dejection. He and Yamaguchi have the moves down and absolutely no shame as they twirl and duet together the lyrics in matching falsettos.

_Hey! Hey! Hey!_  
_Hey! Hey! Hey!_  
_Life isn't all that bad!_

As soon as the song ends, Tsukishima shakes his head at them. "Hitoka is going to dump you if you keep doing things like that."

Yamaguchi turns to him, breathless. "Like what?"

"Acting like Shoyo," Tsukishima clarifies.

Shoyo slides back into the booth and locks eyes with Tsukishima. "Don't forget, Hitoka asked _me_ out first. Yamaguchi was her second-choice!"

"Mean, Shoyo!" Yamaguchi whines.

Tsukishima sneers back at Shoyo. "That's only because you were high school royalty."

"Hey! She asked me out way before that!" Shoyo protests.

Kageyama watches them, unable to tell if this is friendly banter or a quickly-escalating fight. Without thinking, he asks, "Royalty?"

Tsukishima turns to Kageyama, smirking and clearly glad he asked. "Oh yes, Shoyo here was Prom Queen."

"Only because Kei put my name in like an asshole!"

"Why would you be Prom Queen?" Kageyama asks, immediately regretting opening his mouth.

There's a brief silence. Kageyama suddenly knows then that the friendly banter has crossed a line. Glancing over, Shoyo's mouth is in a thin line, his eyes narrowing.

Tsukishima either doesn't notice or doesn't care. "Because his boyfriend was Prom King."

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi says, warning.

"Are you gay?" Kageyama asks Shoyo, not sure why his voice had to crack on that last word, or why his mouth feels so dry.

"Yah," Shoyo grunts, crossing his arms. "You have a problem with that?"

"No," Kageyama answers immediately, but then adds, "But you shouldn't flaunt it either." He feels himself tense up as soon as the words leave his mouth.

"The hell is that supposed to mean!?"

Kageyama tries to chuckle, attempts to pass his answer off as pleasant teasing, wanting nothing more than for this conversation to end immediately. "I don't know. Maybe pick more masculine songs?"

Shoyo grumbles, mixing himself a new drink, this time of primarily liquor and very little tea. His water break seems to have ended. "I'll sing whatever songs I please, thanks."

Yamaguchi, once again, attempts to break the awkward silence. This must be his usual role in this little group. After giving Kageyama a warning glare and Tsukishima a swift kick under the table, Yamaguchi reaches over to pat Shoyo on the shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with you and we love you."

Shoyo takes a huge sip of his newly-mixed drink before snorting and giving Yamaguchi a crooked smile in return. "I'm going to tell you what I told your girlfriend. Sorry, but you're not my type."

Kageyama thinks about the aging population of the town, of the kilometers and kilometers of rice fields they had to pass to even reach the home of just two other guys Shoyo's own age.

Incredibly stupidly, Kageyama asks another question. "Do you... date a lot?"

"Here? No." Shoyo finishes his drink in two gulps. "I've always wanted to visit Tokyo though, you know? Ni-Chome? It's got to be better than here."

"Most of the guys in Ni-Chome have wives at home, so it's not that great," Kageyama answers without thinking.

"Why would you know that about Ni-Chome?" Tsukishima asks, dodging when Yamaguchi tries to elbow him again.

Kageyama tenses, knowing he should just say he heard from a friend, but he's so bad at small talk and especially now, with everything going on, he can't seem to get the words out. He knows they wouldn't sound casual enough if he tried.

Shoyo tries to set his drink down on top of one of the microphones, sending it toppling with a clatter. It's empty, thankfully, but the momentary panic brings the attention back to him.

"You know, I downloaded Grindr once, out of desperation," Shoyo says, cheeks turning pink, whether from embarrassment or alcohol, Kageyama isn't sure. "It only had two guys anywhere near me, and they were both in their sixties! And they both messaged me asking to hook up!"

The reaction is immediate, all three recoiling in disgust. Shoyo laughs, dropping forward with a thunk.

"One of them lives right down the street from me," he mutters into the table, voice muffled. "I see him all the time. Oh god, it's horrifying."

"So you haven't gotten much since Atsumu left, huh?" Tsukishima asks.

His tone is friendly, teasing, but the change in the mood is immediate and unmistakable, even to Kageyama. Shoyo stands, swaying a little on his feet, and flashes everyone a tissue-thin smile.

"Well, I'm tired, goodnight!" he says, hurrying out of the room.

Kageyama watches him leave, wanting to follow but knowing he shouldn't. So instead, Kageyama distracts himself by tidying up, stacking the sticky plastic cups and collecting empty bottles, as Yamaguchi turns on Tsukishima.

"You know we don't say that name," Yamaguchi hisses, kicking Tsukishima over and over again.

***

Shoyo isn't in the lobby when they return their microphones and pay, nor is he standing outside the building when Yamaguchi calls for the _daiko_. Tsukishima waves off Kageyama's concerns when he tries to voice them, explaining that approximately half of their alcohol-fueled hangs end with Shoyo storming out and insisting on walking home, but they always find him.

It takes ten minutes for the _daiko_ to arrive and they all pile into Shoyo's car. Not five minutes into the drive home, Yamaguchi taps the driver on the shoulder and asks him to pull over, pointing to the side of the road. Kageyama peers out and sees a flash of orange hair illuminated by the headlights.

Shoyo continues walking forward, his path the tell-tail wiggly-line of a drunkard. "No."

"Come on, Shoyo," Yamaguchi says, exiting the car with a few stumbled missteps, fairly drunk himself.

"No."

"It'll take you three days to get home if you walk."

"Don't care," Shoyo mutters, slurring.

"You have work tomorrow."

"Thanks for the reminder." Shoyo finally stops, though he continues to wobble where he stands. He turns to glare back at Yamaguchi. "I'll try harder to get hit by a car."

"Come on." Yamaguchi walks forward and gently grabs for Shoyo's arm. Shoyo yanks it free with a scowl, but that's followed by a long, wide yawn. "Come on, Shoyo," Yamaguchi repeats.

It takes a few minutes, but Yamaguchi successfully convinces Shoyo to get into the car. He barely fits, squeezing into the middle seat between Kageyama and Yamaguchi.

Once in the car, Shoyo falls asleep fast. He ends up curled up on top of Kageyama and Yamaguchi's laps in a matter of minutes. Kageyama ends up with Shoyo's front-half, and isn't sure if that's a blessing or not. Kageyama bumps his head into the warm glass of the window, trying to lean as far away from him as he can, but he still feels Shoyo's drool seeping into his pants. 

Throughout the drive home, Kageyama's eyes keep betraying him, darting to Shoyo's sleeping face cushioned in his lap. Shoyo's nose is scrunched up, his face still flushed from the liquor, and he keeps muttering nonsense under his breath.

Alcohol always makes people look like fools.

When they pull up to the inn, it's late afternoon. Someone must've texted ahead, because Natsu is standing outside with her hands folded neatly in front of her, the perfect picture of a hostess. Of course, she's not there to greet guests, but rather to collect her mess of a brother, which she does.

"I see you guys had the usual amount of fun," Natsu says, ducking into the car to grab for Shoyo's arms.

Shoyo doesn't wake up even as Natsu yanks him off Kageyama and out of the car. Kageyama is left wondering if he should offer to help as she slings Shoyo over her shoulder. Before Kageyama can make a decision, Natsu is already heading back toward the inn with slow, heavy footsteps, clearly not unfamiliar with the task of lugging her brother around.

"I don't know how long you plan to stay," Yamaguchi says, pulling Kageyama's attention away from the siblings. "But maybe we'll get a chance to do this again?"

Kageyama's eyes go wide. "Are you kidding?"

"You don't want to?" Tsukishima asks, poking his head out from the front-passenger's window. "Is it because now you know Shoyo's a freak?"

"What?" Kageyama asks, taken aback. "No. Wasn't today a disaster?"

"No." Yamaguchi smiles. "Today was very typical."

"Oh, well, okay then," Kageyama mutters, too shocked by the repeat invitation to process much else.

"See you again sometime then!" Yamaguchi says, waving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is weirdly curious, the songs referenced are [Vanilla by Gackt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr1iujcd3-A) and [恋するフォーチュンクッキー by AKB48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFf4AgBNR1E).
> 
> Hello and my deepest and most sincere thanks to those of you reading this. ♥
> 
> This story is a personal challenge for me to write in many ways, which is why it's coming a bit slowly. However, that just makes me all the more grateful for those of you following along. As always, your honest feedback is encouraged and welcome. In particular, I keep wavering between going in a more "M" or "E" direction and was wondering if any of you have a strong opinion either way?
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated, as I sometimes wonder if anyone is reading! ♥ Thank you!
> 
> Let's be Haikyuu!! friends on Twitter @[dayoldcupcake](https://twitter.com/dayoldcupcake)!
> 
> \-------------  
> Here is a compilation of my growing pile of commissions for this story. Please enjoy!  
>   
> ☀ [Hinata](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ea_7TN9XkAAWvX5?format=jpg&name=large) singing karaoke by [@yankasmiles](https://twitter.com/yankasmiles)  
> &  
> ☀ [Kageyama](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaAK145XsAI1Vwy?format=jpg&name=large) in his mask and hoodie (though in this, he's recognized by Hinata) by [@myrseyy](https://twitter.com/myrseyy)  
> &  
> ☀ [Natsu](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eb8yMxbUMAEHD0a?format=jpg&name=4096x4096) in the inn by [@norainacad](https://twitter.com/norainacad)  
> &  
> ☀ [Natsu](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EZ1RO3eUYAAPlQ6?format=jpg&name=medium) picking mikan by [@grimteas](https://twitter.com/grimteas)  
> &  
> ☀ More to come, but they are spoilers. :)


End file.
